Tourist visas to be introduced in KSA

[Mercenary]

Saudi Arabia has a lot of history but the Saudis have destroyed many historical sites for the sake modernity.

 

[Mercenary]

I lived in Saudi Arabia for 12 years, 3.5 years in Makkah, 0.5 in Abha, and 8 years in Jeddah and then moved to Canada.

I have fond memories of Saudi Arabia and I would really love to visit.

Al-Baik was the best Roast Chicken I have ever had.

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabia has a lot of history but the Saudis have destroyed many historical sites for the sake modernity.

Unfortunately this is completely true. I have to admit that and I have touched upon this a lot. It makes my blood boil to see what a treasure house is right in front of us but that many of it has either been extremely neglected or outright destroyed!
This has more to do with people not being aware of how ancient their surroundings are and some extremely stupid state policies that the common man has no power to stop. There are a lot of areas that have suffered from this. Be it ancient architecture, villages, town squares, the old parts of cities, castles, palaces, forts etc. Let's not even talk about the archaeological areas who are either abandoned or yet to be fully excavated. There are literary hundreds of such areas. I refer to this thread and that 28 minute long and very excellent documentary that I believe that you should watch, @Mercenary and others sincerely interested. Can be found in this thread below;

Roads of Arabia Documentary (must watch)

Anyway things that outsiders might see as historical/old etc. are seen by many locals as a annoyance (or at least were) when KSA started to become fully "modernized" (hate this word) back in 1950's and 1960's. They also wanted easier life's etc.

Having said that then the officials have finally become wiser and now not only a lot of restorations are taking place but also archaeology is bigger than ever although it is still tiny, tiny compared to other areas even in the region.

For instance due to the restoration works (in the traditional way) of the old city of Jeddah it has now become a World UNESCO Heritage Site. Dozens of areas in KSA could have become that had it not been for the neglect. Makkah and Madinah being obvious choices but I doubt that this will happen now although they would probably get the go-ahead but this would also mean more scrutiny nor is any exposure needed for KSA as every single of the 1.7 billion Muslims know what and where Makkah and Madinah is.

I lived in this area when I was a kid. My dad was working here and we stayed here for a few months. Back in the late 1980's. I still have fond memories of this place.

I think this is Abha correct?

Yes, those are the Southern provinces and regions.

You can see more photos from all over KSA if you follow these two threads below.

I posted about 100 new photos from KSA that can be found on page 30 in this thread below;

The Arabian Peninsula and Arab world in photos | Page 30

Saudi Arabia in Pictures | Page 77

Glad, that you enjoyed your time. You are welcome to visit another time.

PS: Many of the photos in those 2 threads were taken by Western and other tourists in KSA.

I lived in Saudi Arabia for 12 years, 3.5 years in Makkah, 0.5 in Abha, and 8 years in Jeddah and then moved to Canada.

I have fond memories of Saudi Arabia and I would really love to visit.

Al-Baik was the best Roast Chicken I have ever had.

You are very welcome anytime. So you stayed mostly in the Western areas of KSA (Hijaz etc.). Excellent, choices. You did good keeping away from Najd, Eastern Province and the North. Just joking.

Al-Baik is georgous. Everyone loves it, LOL. Local and foreigner alike. It attracts all of our heavyweights and sumo "warriors" too though. We got a sizable army of them!

 

[Green Arrow]

When this visa service will start, any idea?

 

[al-Hasani]

When this visa service will start, any idea?

Hopefully soon but the events in the region might slow things down a bit. Fair to say that the ME and tourism do not go hand in hand right now.

‘Umrah-plus’ tourism drive set to begin after Haj​

JEDDAH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Monday 11 August 2014

Last update 11 August 2014 5:53 pm

The “Umrah-plus” tourism program, which will allow pilgrims to visit the Kingdom’s tourist resorts, will be implemented following the end of the upcoming Haj season, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).
He said pilgrims from more than 65 countries would benefit from the program, which would be introduced with the support of Foreign and Interior ministries.
“The SCTA will also target expatriates working in the Kingdom, as well as foreign visitors, in a bid to boost domestic tourism,” he said.
Prince Sultan said, however, that tourist visas would not be issued yet because of big pressure on domestic tourism and delays in implementing tourism projects and developing infrastructure facilities.
“There are no plans to transform SCTA into a ministry at present,” he said, adding that a decision on the matter would be taken by higher authorities considering the need to restructure various economic sectors.

“The SCTA is an independent body and directly reports to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and its board of directors include representatives from 12 ministries,” he explained.
Prince Sultan said the SCTA would press for government loans to implement tourism projects, including hotels and recreational centers, adding that he would discuss the matter with Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf.
He said the tourism sector would be able to create thousands of job opportunities for Saudi nationals.
“We will work with Saudi universities to develop academic programs to meet manpower requirements in the travel and tourism sector,” the prince said.
The SCTA chief opposed the concept of religious tourism for Haj and Umrah trips.
“We provide facilities for the guests of God. As I said before, we will help Umrah pilgrims to visit the Kingdom’s tourist resorts.”

‘Umrah-plus’ tourism drive set to begin after Haj | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

 

[Green Arrow]

Hopefully soon but the events in the region might slow things down a bit. Fair to say that the ME and tourism do not go hand in hand right now.

‘Umrah-plus’ tourism drive set to begin after Haj​

JEDDAH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Monday 11 August 2014

Last update 11 August 2014 5:53 pm

The “Umrah-plus” tourism program, which will allow pilgrims to visit the Kingdom’s tourist resorts, will be implemented following the end of the upcoming Haj season, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).
He said pilgrims from more than 65 countries would benefit from the program, which would be introduced with the support of Foreign and Interior ministries.
“The SCTA will also target expatriates working in the Kingdom, as well as foreign visitors, in a bid to boost domestic tourism,” he said.
Prince Sultan said, however, that tourist visas would not be issued yet because of big pressure on domestic tourism and delays in implementing tourism projects and developing infrastructure facilities.
“There are no plans to transform SCTA into a ministry at present,” he said, adding that a decision on the matter would be taken by higher authorities considering the need to restructure various economic sectors.

“The SCTA is an independent body and directly reports to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and its board of directors include representatives from 12 ministries,” he explained.
Prince Sultan said the SCTA would press for government loans to implement tourism projects, including hotels and recreational centers, adding that he would discuss the matter with Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf.
He said the tourism sector would be able to create thousands of job opportunities for Saudi nationals.
“We will work with Saudi universities to develop academic programs to meet manpower requirements in the travel and tourism sector,” the prince said.
The SCTA chief opposed the concept of religious tourism for Haj and Umrah trips.
“We provide facilities for the guests of God. As I said before, we will help Umrah pilgrims to visit the Kingdom’s tourist resorts.”

‘Umrah-plus’ tourism drive set to begin after Haj | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

Thanks mate. I am definitely looking forward to it

 

[asad71]

Saudi Arabia has so much history. The country is beautiful. The people are hospitable. There is no security issue. Food and fuel are cheap. The Zionist-Christian press has given it a bad image - just opposite to the truth. By opening up to tourists, the country will get a brand it deserves..

 

[al-Hasani]

Thanks mate. I am definitely looking forward to it

You are very welcome, mate. I can also recommend the two links I posted in post 93 in this thread and the link to the documentary I posted in the same post.

The one called "Roads of Arabia Documentary".

See this thread below for more information;

Roads of Arabia Documentary (must watch)

Saudi Arabia has so much history. The country is beautiful. The people are hospitable. There is no security issue. Food and fuel are cheap. The Zionist-Christian press has given it a bad image - just opposite to the truth. By opening up to tourists, the country will get a brand it deserves..

Thank you for your kind words, brother. I feel that the same is the case with Bangladesh not to derail the thread. If it has any interest I can really recommend what I wrote to @Green Arrow .

 

[al-Hasani]

New tourism strategy to create more jobs​

Last updated: Monday, October 13, 2014 10:42 PM

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will use tourism as an economic tool to create more jobs for Saudis as well as to develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs), according to the revised tourism strategy, approved by the Shoura Council on Monday.

Fahaad Al-Hamad, assistant president of the Council, said that the Shoura Council endorsed the general strategy for the development of domestic tourism following a directive from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

The Council session was chaired by its President Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh. Al-Hamad said the revised strategy also envisages promoting balanced development of all regions, and planning tourism development in a balanced and sustainable way with a focus on the Kingdom’s social and cultural dimensions. The strategy consists of working plan for the public and private sectors pertaining to tourism development with programs and required budgetary allocations, in addition to specific percentage of contributions from SCTA as well as from the government and private sectors.

Al-Hamad said the Council’s decision came after a report was read out by Fahd Al-Anzi, deputy chairman of the committee for the economic and energy affairs.

The approved strategy is an updated version of the plan approved in 2003 (1424H) in line with the King’s directive to modernize the tourism sector, keeping pace with the changes that have taken place over the past years, and giving more avenues to organize the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).

The Council also discussed an amendment in the regulations for issuance of temporary visas for seasonal workers for a maximum of four months and charging fee for issuance of visa.

Taking part in deliberations, some members called for lifting restrictions on issuance of these visas for the Haj season only, saying that visas can be issued for agriculture and other seasonal jobs. They suggested that labor offices in each province could be entrusted to decide which are the trades to be included for seasonal visas in their respective regions.

Some members wanted issuance of these visas in all seasons while some others demanded raising the period of visa to six months and to a similar period beyond that in case the employer substantiates the necessity for an extension to complete the work or project undertaken by him.

New tourism strategy to create more jobs | Front Page | Saudi Gazette
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Shoura approves tourism strategy

TOURISM MINE: The country abounds in places of scenic beauty that can be potentially developed to attract tourists.
​

RIYADH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Tuesday 14 October 2014

Last update 14 October 2014 3:21 am

The Shoura Council passed a bill regarding the general strategy for national tourism development at its 58th session in Riyadh on Monday.
The bill is a modified version of the tourism strategy adopted in 2003, Assistant Chairman of the Council Fahad Al-Hamad said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency.
The bill has updated the strategy to keep pace with the modern developments in the country over the past decade and also to increase the role of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).
The strategy covers the executive plan for the public and private sectors, the required programs, budget and proportion of contribution to be made by the SCTA and the government and private sectors. The strategy envisages the employment of tourism as an economic tool to generate more job opportunities for Saudis, the development of small and medium establishments, prompting balanced growth in all provinces and planning for balanced and sustained tourism development highlighting the cultural, urban and social dimensions of the country.
The Administrative and Human Resources Committee read its recommendations which included changes in the current regulations governing the recruitment of temporary and seasonal workers. It recommended limiting the period of temporary visas for seasonal work to a maximum of four months. It also recommended that penal measures be taken against violators of the regulation.
Al-Hammad said the council also discussed the annual report of the Zakat and Income Committee. The committee recommended speedy development of the new administrative structure and operating systems in the department for the improvement of its performance.
The council discussed the annual report of the Committee for Transport, Telecommunications and Information Technology. It demanded that the Ministry of Transport report on the progress in the implementation of the national strategy for traffic safety issued by the Council of Ministers, which aims to curb traffic accidents in the country.
The committee asked the Transport Ministry to come up with more information on the achievements of the public transport projects being implemented in various cities including the construction of cargo depots at city entrances.
While some members wanted to know the reasons behind a large number of roads in poor condition or without maintenance for months, one member asked for a comprehensive survey of the state of roads in the Kingdom and the allocation of funds for road maintenance.
Another member demanded to know why roads in remote regions were suffering from poor maintenance and one member recommended that ports be used for travel within the Kingdom to take the strain off surface transport.

Shoura approves tourism strategy | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabian thriving tourism sector offers immense investment opportunities​

Last updated: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 10:50 PM

Anees Moumina
​

JEDDAH – Inbound tourism is a major contributor to Saudi Arabia’s commercial and economic dynamism. Industry observers project investments in Saudi travel and tourism to stand at SR150 billion in 2014 wherein SR50 billion would come from domestic tourism and SR100 billion from inbound tourism.

Saudi domestic tourism has grown significantly of late, whereby spending soared from SR59 billion in 2010 to SR103 billion in 2014 thereby becoming an economic generator that can be included in the list of sustainable investment opportunities.

Investments in the hotel and hotel apartment sectors are also projected to reach more than SR95 billion over the next 10 years.

Tourism, especially in connection with Haj and Umrah, is a major source of revenue in Saudi Arabia and an economy mainstay. The number of pilgrims, which stood at 2 million in 2013, is expected to increase to 5.2 million by 2025. Since the Umrah season started this year, the number of Umrah pilgrims stood at over 7 million by the month of Ramadan 1435H. The availability of the required infrastructure has boosted growth opportunities in Haj and Umrah services coupled with other amenities that help develop the industry.

The increase in the number of pilgrims partly depends on an increase in facilities such as the expansion of the airport in Jeddah, which is expected to accommodate 80 million people by 2035. The current plans to extend the northwestern and northeastern parts of the holy mosque will help to accommodate over 2.5 million people. The Prophet’s Mosque will also be expanded to accommodate between 600,000 and 1.6 million people once completed by 2040.

In this regard, Anees Moumina, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SEDCO Holding Group, said: “Investments are undoubtedly projected to increase in the coming period, including the construction of 100 hotel towers worth SR18 billion close to the holy mosque in Makkah which will add 24,480 hotel rooms in Makkah alone. This approach to development confirms that the Kingdom’s tourism industry has become a major source of revenue – in line with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz’s vision of making performance of Umrah possible throughout the year, while continuously expanding the Two Holy Mosques to accommodate a greater number of pilgrims. Given the increase in the number of Umrah pilgrims, it therefore offers greater growth prospects, particularly in the hospitality and hotel industries, which will immensely expand over the next few years.”

Hotels largely dominate the hospitality industry in Makkah, accounting for 96 percent of all accommodation.

Elaf, the leading company in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries, especially in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah, intends to implement ambitious expansion plans in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries by 2015. Currently, Elaf plans to double the number of hotel rooms they own.

As for new projects, Elaf is preparing to open Elaf Galleria, located on Tahlia Street in Jeddah, which is expected to be operational by next year.

Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, the CEO of Elaf Group, one of SEDCO Holding Group’s companies, has said “one of the factors that helps make the Kingdom a major touristic destination is the fact that it has the necessary foundations of success such as advanced infrastructure and flagship projects, prominent among which is the King Abdul Aziz International Airport project in Jeddah, which is the main gateway to Makkah. The list of flagship projects comprises a SR62 billion investment in the new “Haramain Express” train project which will connect Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah and cater to the increasing number of visitors to the Two Holy Mosques.

Recently, Elaf Group has won several prizes from international airline companies in its capacity as the sales agent for many of such companies in the travel and tourism industry. The company also owns a fleet of luxury buses for Umrah and Haj pilgrims.

In addition, Elaf Group offers Haj and Umrah services and is distinguished for its strong presence in Makkah and Madinah. As a result, the company has come up with a vision to develop hospitality projects in the increasingly growing industry. Elaf Hotel Group comprises 12 hotels including 7 in Makkah, 3 in Madinah and 2 in Jeddah. The overall number of rooms stands at 3,400. It has several sales points in Cairo, Istanbul, Casablanca and Jakarta.

Elaf has also expanded partnerships in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah to better manage its hotels, such as its tie-up with Red Sea Markets Ltd. (owner of Red Sea Mall), one of the biggest and most premiere commercial complexes in Jeddah.

Over the years, the hospitality industry has become one of the most vibrant industries and among those that attract the largest investments. By 2015, the Kingdom will provide an estimated 381,000 new hotel rooms – accounting for a 63 percent increase in existing rooms in 2010. The hospitality industry has also grown at an average of 127 percent since 2004, highlighting the significance of an industry that provides both local and international investors huge opportunities. This also places the Kingdom among the emerging markets that attract more foreign direct investments in the food, hotel and hospitality industries given the great interest shown in the industry as well as the government and private sectors’ eagerness, relentless efforts and determination to enhance the Kingdom’s tourism facilities.

Data emerging from the Saudi hospitality market indicate that the Kingdom requires more than 100,000 hotel units over the next two years. Plans and projects worth SR6 billion are underway to increase the capacity of apartment hotels in line with the government’s plan to promote tourism investments and thus attract a significant number of investors to a promising industry.

Also contributing to the development of the Kingdom’s tourism industry are the vast array of artifacts and monuments of Arab Islamic heritage and of the Kingdom’s coastline, mountains and a fantastic and unique desert as well as historical monuments that date back to the pre-Islamic era such as for instance Mada’in Saleh. — SG

Saudi thriving tourism sector offers immense investment opportunities | Economy | Saudi Gazette

 

[al-Hasani]

Prince Sultan gets award for urban heritage preservation

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RIYADH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Sunday 19 October 2014

Last update 19 October 2014 12:18 am

President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) Prince Sultan bin Salman received the Culture and Heritage Preservation Excellence Award instituted by the Middle East Institute for the Excellence of Municipal ties for the SCTA for its outstanding efforts in preserving urban heritage, at his office on Thursday.
The announcement of the award was made at a recent function on the sidelines of the fourth conference of the GCC smart cities and municipalities in Dubai, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The award is also in recognition of the prince’s role and initiative to strengthen the organizational and social interest in urban heritage and the qualitative shift in the culture of interaction with the heritage sites in the Kingdom.
His role is role in highlighting the cultural, social and economic dimension of the urban heritage was also taken into consideration for the best tourism award in the Middle East.

Prince Sultan gets award for urban heritage preservation | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.​

Jeddah kicks off Cruise Arabia road show​

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Saleh Fareed

GULF tourism experts have expressed hope that the GCC states could become cruise tourist destinations in the near future. This hope was raised on Monday as the Cruise Arabia road show 2015 kicked off here in Jeddah with the attendance of a delegation consisted of the Ministry of Tourism Oman, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) .

On the occasion, speeches and presentations by Oman Tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi and DTCM were followed by presentations. According to the attending delegations, Cruise Arabia road show aims at raising awareness of the Arabian Gulf’s unique destination offering among major players from the international cruise industry.

The Cruise Arabia partners showcased cruise tourism opportunities in the Arabian Gulf and the diversity of the region’s destination offering — including its city skylines, desert landscapes, mountains, tropical areas and beaches; the world’s most sophisticated malls and traditional souks; natural wilderness and adventure experiences; and its art, culture and heritage.

The partners also shared details of the region’s world-leading hotels and burgeoning gastronomy scenes to encourage tourists to extend their stays prior to or post cruise travel.

“Following significant investment in infrastructure for cruise tourism across the region, the Middle East is increasingly recognized as a key growth market for the industry and by working closely with our partners from Oman and Abu Dhabi, we can contribute to this growth,” said Hamad Bin Mijrin, Executive Director of DTCM.

He also pointed out that Cruise Arabia, the collaborative initiative formed by Oman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai aimed to make the Gulf region an attractive route to the cruise industry as it gains in prominence as a cruise location. “We are aware of the importance of the cruise industry and are working towards making significant investments in infrastructure to meet the opportunity and drive demand in the region. This collation aims to play a major role in developing regional itineraries and facilities,” he said. Bin Mijrin noted that Awareness has definitely grown among GCC tourists and we hope that the cruise industry grows up in Abu Dhabi as a cruise destination.

After highlighting the main touristic spots in Oman, Khalid Al Zadjali, director of tourism events, ministry of tourism, said, “The joint venture agreement between Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority proves to in position the region as a premiere cruising destination.”

Meanwhile, Sultan Al Dhaheri, Director, Tourism Eco-Systems, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, said, “Abu Dhabi has long-term cruise industry ambitions and is working closely with our regional destination partners to progress a GCC-wide approach to fulfil the needs of operators.”

He added, “We are all putting intense effort behind reaching our goals and anticipate a gradual evolution of the regional cruise industry and uptake in cruise offerings from within the GCC and beyond.”

The delegation will visit next Riyadh, Khobar and Kuwait over the six day road-show, targeting a number of leading travel agents. MSC , Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises, globe’s most popular cruise providers, have been chosen for Cruise Arabia.

Jeddah kicks off Cruise Arabia road show | Kingdom | Saudi Gazette

Reminder of the amazing coastline of KSA which is undoubtedly one of the best in the world;

Exploring Saudi Arabia's marine wonderland

 

[al-Hasani]

An excellent French documentary about some of the "mountain tribes" of Southwestern KSA. It is unfortunately in French without any English subtitles though. But the footage itself is worth seeing.

A great documentary in Arabic about some of the ancient civilizations of Northern KSA and their art. Covers Tayma etc. From Al Arabiya which makes many excellent documentaries about KSA. Past and present. Sometimes (occasionally) I have seen that they put English subtitles if not you guys need to learn a world language like Arabic. It will come handy for you.

Here are some short videos with English subtitles about local craft, art etc. from across the vast lands of KSA. They are from the official Youtube channel of SCTA. Google what that is.

Link to the official Youtube channel of SCTA;

SaudiSCTA - YouTube

 

[al-Hasani]

SCTA to develop agro-tourism

NEW ENTERPRISE: Al-Kharj Mayor Shebaili Al-Gerani handing over an agro-tourism membership license to a farmer. (AN photo)​

RIYADH: RASHID HASSAN

Published — Sunday 26 October 2014

Last update 27 October 2014 4:45 pm

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has collaborated with farm owners in the Riyadh province to develop agro-tourism in the Kingdom.
Agro-tourism, which involves any agriculture-based operation that brings visitors to a farm or ranch, is a form of niche tourism that is considered a growing industry in many parts of the world including Australia, Canada and the United States.
In a concerted effort to develop agro-tourism in the Kingdom, SCTA recently granted agro-tourism membership licenses to a number of farm owners in the Al-Kharj municipality in the Riyadh province.
Shebaili Al-Gerani, mayor of Al-Kharj, has handed over licenses to the farmers, an official at the Al-Kharj municipality said Sunday. "Accordingly, they are deemed to be principal members in agro-tourism in Al-Kharj."
Commenting on the development, an SCTA official said that the commission is keen to develop agro-tourism in the Kingdom in view of several factors that emphasize the importance of the sector. "SCTA is committed to developing this through transforming agricultural locations into tourism sites, taking into account and preserving their agricultural and natural features," the official underlined.
He said the project will promote the diversity of tourism for national destinations that can be visited by domestic tourists, offering them an enjoyable experience.
He added that this would also create new job opportunities for local communities in the field of agriculture and revive local economies.
The SCTA urged farm owners across the Kingdom who are eligible for agro-tourism licensing to log on the SCTA official website to review licensing conditions. Farm owners can also visit the SCTA headquarters or one of its branches to learn more about finance management and loan offers for farmers who wish to engage in agro-tourism through the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), he said.
Agro-tourism involves a wide variety of activities, including buying produce directly from a farm stand, navigating a corn maze, picking fruit, feeding animals or staying at a farm.
As the tourism sector in the Kingdom is witnessing unprecedented growth that is greatly contributing to the national GDP and the job market with new opportunities for Saudi youth, this new dimension of tourism is expected to take the sector to new highs by transforming agronomy in the Kingdom from sustainable farming to a source of revenue and employment generation.

SCTA to develop agro-tourism | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

Excellent news. Always wanted this to happen given the fact that there are over 1 million farms in KSA and agricultural areas the size of countries (!) in certain areas.

Let us see it they can revive ancient traditions (almost dying out) such as the traditional rice production of the Eastern Province etc. who are in need of help.
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There is maybe not big money in the agricultural sector if you just have small private farms (as many do) but it is important that the agricultural sector keeps employing locals too and modernizes so that not only migrants are employed. This way traditions such as the one above will survive. I don't like the fact that some people shun agriculture and don't ever want anything to do with it. It should turn into something that people with a passion are interested in. We have hundred of thousands of olive farms too in the North. People in Southern Europe see olive farms etc. as something honorable and enjoyable. We should too. There should be benefits when working in the agricultural field and a sense of pride of cultivating your own lands. Not everything should amount to huge industrialized farms without the personal touch or greenhouses in the thousands.

 

[ranjeet]

KSA already get enough of Muslim tourist/haj visitors. Tourism must focus on catering to Non Muslims. Let the world know more about herself than the Arabic rednecks we often get to hear about on press tv, fox and cnn.

 

[Oublious]

they are making everything more expensiver than it is. so what are the price for hotels tomorrow?

non muslim are not allowed in Arabian peninsula, dont you remind the words of our Prophet peace be upon him ? so what with the tourism?